Circuit-interrupter.



R W.HARMS.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

APPLlCATlON FILED oc1.a, 1910.

1,180,644. Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1; 5 iii: 21 11 1: 36 1 H l I l II T 1 T WITNESSES: VENTOR ATTORNEY hi! COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0 WASHINGTON. n. c.

F. W. HARRIS.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 8.,1910.

1,186,644. Patented Apr. 25,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

IEVENTOR W 7 ATITORNFY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FORD W. HARRIS, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR- T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCUIT-INTERRUPTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

Application filed October 8, 1910. Serial No. 586,093.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FORD W. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Circuit- Interrupters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to circuit interrupters of the oil-immersed non-closable on overland type, and it has for its object to provide an automatic circuit interrupter of the above-indicated class that shall be particularly simple and compact in construction and exceptionally adapted to effectively perform the functions for which it is intended.

According to my invention, 1 provide a reliable, completely automatic interrupter, the operating mechanism of which is so constructed that the automatic action of the interrupter is substantially independent of the operating handle under all service conditions, and thus the injurious effects of im proper use and closure under abnormal conditions are avoided.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, of a circuit in terrupter constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 9- is a plan view of the circuit interrupter shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a. view showing the operating mechanism of the interrupter shown in Fig. 1, in its open position, and Fig. 4: is a. view showing the operating mechanism in it's intermediate or reset position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the circuit interrupter comprises a supporting frame 1, a containing tank 2, stationary contact terminals 3, movable cooperating contact members 41, tripping magnets 5, sucker dash pots 6, a calibration mechanism 7, a tripping device 8, and an operating mechanism 9.

The supporting frame 1 is provided with a suitable cover 10 having insulating bushings 11, through which the line conductors (not shown) project. Suspended beneath the supporting frame 1 is an insulating plate 12, to which terminal blocks 13 and 14: are secured. The stationary contact terminals 3 are mounted upon the insulating plate 12, while the movable contact members rods 18 associated therewith.

The sucker dash pots 6 are of like con struction and each comprises a sucker disk 19 which is rigidly secured to the movable core member 17 and a self-adjusting cooperating bearing plate 20 which is mounted on a supporting member 21 by means of a universal joint.

Since those skilled in the art are acquainted in general with the use of sucker dash pots as applied to circuit breakers, no further description of the same is considered necessary.

The calibration mechanism 7 comprises a lever member 27, the inner end of which is fixed to a rotatable shaft 28 and the outer end of which is provided with a slot 29 to receive a calibration plate 30. A thumb screw 31 is also provided on the outer end of the lever member 27 whereby said member may be locked in any desired position upon the calibration plate 30. An intermediate member 32 of the general form of an inverted U is also fixed upon the shaft 28. Lateral projections 33 are provided upon the member 32 from which a bracket member 34 is pivotally suspended. Said bracket member is likewise adapted to suspend the supporting member 21 by means of a rod It will be observed that, by adjusting the position of lever 27 upon the calibration plate 30, changes in the position of the sucker dash pots 6 may be readily eflected. Since the movable core member 17 of the tripping magnet 5 rests upon the bearing plate 20 of the dash pot, it is evident that variations in the air-gap between the core member 17 and the cooperating stationary core member 36 may be obtained. Hence, the tripping magnets 5 may be adjusted to operate under any desired abnormal circuit conditions within the range of the interrupter, according to the usual. practice.

The tripping member 8 is pivotally supported upon a shaft 37 and said member comprises two parallel arms 38, the outer ends of which constitute wing-shaped engaging plates 39 which are adapted to be struck by hammer rods 18, in the usual manner. Upwardly projecting arms 4L0 are provided at substantially right angles to arms 38, and a roller etl is pivotally supported between said arms upon a pin 412.

The operating mechanism comprises an operating lever or handle 13, which is fixed to a main rotatable supporting shaft 44. An extension member also surrounds said shaft and is fixed thereto in a suitable manner. A substantially Y-shaped lever member 46 is pivotally supported upon a shaft 4.7 and comprises two arms e8 from the outer ends of which rods 16 are pivotally suspended. The inner end of the lever member d6 is provided with a curved portion a9, the end of which is connected to the I extension member by means of links 50 and 51. The links 50 and 51 are pivotally supported to members 4:9 and upon pins 52 and 53, respectively. and are joined toget-her by means of apin 5% to form a toggle. A roller 55 is rotatably mounted upon pin between said links. A latch member 56 is pivotally mounted upon the main shaft 4th and the outer end of said latch is provided with a notch 57 which is adapted to engage roller 11 of the tripping member 8. The opposite end 57 of latch 56 forms a bearing member which is engaged by roller 55, and pin 53, as hereinafter explained.

Assuming the circuit interrupter to be closed and the various parts of the apparatus to occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1, the interrupter may be opened either manually or automatically. In case manual operation is desired, the operating handle 43 is raised, thereby causing the roller to roll to the right upon the extended portion 57 of the latch 56. The weight of the interrupter parts therefore causes the interrupter to open and the various members of the operating mechanism to assume the positions shown in Fig. 4, as will be readily understood.

The automatic operation of the interrupter is as follows: Upon an abnormal current demand, the tripping magnets 5 are energized sufiiciently to tend to attract the.

movable core members 17 and, after a short interval of time, the sucker disks 19 become disengaged from the bearing plates 20 and the hammer rods 18 are projected against the parts 39 of the tripping member 8. The roller 41 is thereby released from the latch 56, and the weight of the interrupter parts, acting through the roller 55 upon the latch extension 57 causes said extension to fly upwardly, the toggle formed by links and 51 to buckle, and the interrupter to open. The relative positions of the various members of the operating mechanism are shown in Fig. 3 in the open position.

In order to set the interrupter, the handle 48 is raised to its uppermost position, there by causing a projection 58 on the extension member 45 to engage the latch 56 and thus carry the latch to its normal position in contact with the roller 4.1 of the tripping member 8. In this reset position, the mechanism occupies the positions shown in Fig. 4. If now the handle is forced downwardly until the pin 53 is stopped against the latch 56, roller is caused to roll outwardly in engagement with the extension 5'? of latch 56. Thus, a considerable downward force is exerted upon the inner end l9 of the Y-shaped lever member 16 and the movable contact members 4 are caused to engage stationary contact termi nals 3, as will be readily understood.

It will. of course, be understood that, although I have shown and described a particular structure and a specific location and arrangement of parts, many modifications of the same may be efiected within the spirit and scope of my invention and such modifications are intended to be covered in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A circuit interrupter comprising a plurality of stationary and movable contact members, a tripping mechanism, an operating mechanism comprising an operating handle. a lever member, and two pivotally connected link members forming a toggle between the handle and the lever member, a roller carried by the link members, and a pivotally mounted latch member normally opposing the action of said toggle by engagement with the roller and normally maintained in operative relation therewith by said tripping mechanism.

2. In a circuit interrupter, the combina tion with a plurality of stationary contact terminals, a plurality of movable cooperating contact terminals, and a tripping mechanism, of an operating mechanism comprising an operating handle, a pivotally supported lever member, two link members connecting the operating handle and the lever member, and a pivotally mounted latch, one end of which continually engages the two link members and the other end of which normally engages the tripping mechanism.

3. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with a plurality of stationary and movable contact terminals, an operating mechanism for said movable contact terminals, and a tripping device, of a single pivotally supported member one end of which is in rolling engagement with and restrains said opcrating mechanism during normal operation, and the other end of which normally engages the tripping mechanism.

a. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with a plurality of stationary and movable cooperating contact terminals, of an operating mechanism comprising an operating lever pivotally supported near its inner end, a lever member pivoted at a point intermediate its ends, two link members connecting the inner ends of said operating handle and said lever member, a roller associated with said links, a pivotally supported latch member adapted to be engaged at one end by said roller to constrain the movement of said operating mechanism, and means normally in engagement with the other end of said latch member to restrain movement of the same.

5. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with relatively movable contact members, a pivotally mounted lever for supporting said movable members, and an operating handle, of a two link collapsible means connecting said lever and said handle, a tripping mechanism, and a latch normally in engagement with said tripping mechanism and in continuous sliding engagement with said collapsible means.

6. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with relatively movable contact members, a pivotally mounted lever for supporting said movable members and an operating handle, of a plurality of links connecting said lever and said handle, a latch disposed above said links and in continuous engagement therewith to prevent the separation of said contact members, and electro-responsive means normally associated with said latch for releasing said latch.

7. In a circuit interrupter, the combina tion with relatively movable contact members, a pivotally mounted lever for supporting said movable members and an operating handle, of a plurality of links connecting said lever and said handle and adapted to buckle upwardly by the action of gravity on the movable contact members, means disposed above said links and in continuous engagement therewith for mechanically restraining the same, and electro-responsive means for releasing said means from its restraining position.

8. In a circuit interrupter, the combina tion with relatively movable contact members, a pivotally mounted lever for supporting said movable members and an operating handle, of a plurality of links connecting said lever and said handle and adapted to buckle upwardly, a latch pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, one end thereof being disposed above said links, and a tripping device disposed beneath the other end of said latch and adapted to release the same, the parts being arranged to be tripped by said tripping device independently of said handle and to be opened by movement of said handle independently of said tripping device.

9. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with relatively movable contact members, a pivotally mounted lever for supporting said movable members, and an operating handle, of two link members connecting the lever and the operating handle, a roller c0 operatively connected to said link members, a latch pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, one end thereof in continuous engagement with said roller, and a tripping device normally disposed beneath the other end of said latch and adapted to release the same under predetermined conditions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of Sept. 1910.

FORD W. HARRIS.

\Vitnesses:

WILSOL' L. WRIGHT, B. B. Hmns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of intents, Washington, D. 0. 

